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• Approve, Approve with conditions, or Disapprove. The No Action alternative was not
<br />considered a viable alternative because of the requirements of existing law.
<br />D, Affected Environment
<br />This environmental assessment supplements the environmental assessments prepared by;
<br />The Bureau of Land Management, Taylor Creek Study Site: Axial Basin Coal Field:
<br />Resource and Potential Reclamation Evaluation, 1975;
<br />The Bureau of Land Management, Northwest Colorado Coal Environmental Statement,
<br />1977;
<br />The Bureau of Land Management, Northwest Supplemental Report, 1979
<br />OSM, Environmental Assessment, Proposed Increase in Production of the Colowyo
<br />Mine, August 1980;
<br />OSM, Environmental Assessment, Colowyo Mine, Mine Plan Approval, February 1989;
<br />OSM, Environmental Assessment, Colowyo Mine, Federal Lease C-29224, Mining Plan
<br />Modification, Moffat County, Colorado, July 1992, and,
<br />• OSM, Environmental Assessment, Colowyo Mine, Federal Leases C-29225 azzd C-29226,
<br />Mining Plan Modiftcation, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado, July 2001.
<br />The affected environment is described in these documents.
<br />E. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action and Alternatives
<br />The previously prepared environmental documents identify and discuss the environmental
<br />impacts of leasing and mining the coal resources in Federal leases C-0123476, C-29225, and
<br />C-29226. OSM also reviewed the Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance for the
<br />Colowyo Mine, C-1981-019, Permit Revision No. 02, of the Colorado Division of Reclamation,
<br />Mining and Safety, dated May 4, 2007, for the proposed permit revision at the Colowyo mine.
<br />OSM has determined that the combined documentation described the proposed operation
<br />adequately and accurately assesses the environmental impacts of mining.
<br />In addition, OSM consulted with other Federal agencies for compliance with the requirements of
<br />other applicable Federal laws. Those agencies included the Bureau of Land Management, which
<br />provided findings and recommendations with respect to the resource recovery and protection
<br />plan concurrence to the mining of Federal leases C-0123476, C-29225 and C-29226 and as the
<br />Federal surface land management agency, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which provided
<br />consultation and comments under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Finally, the
<br />Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer's assessment and recommendations for the
<br />protection of cultural resources were independently reviewed and concurred to by OSM.
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